The invention relates to hair styling devices, systems and methods. More specifically, this invention relates to clips for securing and retaining a portion of hair.
Hair styling often involves manipulating hair into a preferred orientation or style and securing the hair in that preferred orientation or style. Typical devices for performing this function include barrett devices and loop devices. Most of the prior art hair securing devices are configured to secure a single section of hair at a single location.
There are a number of hair styling device configured to clasp or secure a sections of hair in multiple locations. For example, Mondor in French document No. 608,630 describes a clip device with two clips that pivotally open in the same direction from a common surface of a fork shaped body section. Schach, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,522 describes a barrett with two displaced clasping members that are pivotally attached to open in opposite directions from a common surface of a body section. In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,196 issued to Moffat, Moffat describes a plurality of barrettes that are attached through strings, such that the barretts can clasp longitudinally to several positions on a strand of hair.
The current invention seeks to provide a device, a system and a method for securing multiple strands of hair in a stacked or layered fashion. Each body of the device is preferably elongated and substantially flat. Alternatively, body sections are curve or contoured, wherein each body is curve or contoured such that the adjacent body sections fit together in a folded manner. Preferably, body sections have differing lengths and are couple to close together in a closed position with body sections layered in a cascade fashion. The longest body section preferably has a length in a range of 4.0 to 10 cm and a width in a range of 0.5 to 3.0 cm. The body sections preferably have staggered widths such that the longest body section is also the widest body section. Alternatively, the body sections have the same widths and are all sufficiently wide to grasp and hold hair between adjacent surfaces of adjacent body sections.
Adjacent body sections of the clip are couple together through any suitable means including pole structures that pass through one or more body section, hinges, snap features or any combination thereof. Preferably, each body sections is pivotally coupled to a next adjacent body section or sections, such that the body sections collectively open in a zig-zag fashion. Preferably, the clip is secured in a layered and closed position through two-part snap features, whereby parts of the snap features are located on adjacent surfaces of adjacent body sections.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the clip has two outer body sections and two inner body sections. Each of the two outer body sections are pivotally attached to a first end of one of the two inner body sections and second opposite ends of the two inner body sections are pivotally attached to each other, whereby the body sections collectively close to secure three strands or sections of hair.
The clip is preferably configured to open in a zig-zag fashion and close in a layered and cascaded fashion, whereby sections are preferably pivotally attached to an adjacent body sections through pin hinges, snap hinges or living hinges. The clip is preferably held in the closed position through two-part ball and butterfly pressure snap features.
Clasping regions formed by adjacent surface of adjacent body sections of the clip are preferably provides with gripping elements or gripping structures to facilitate the ability of the device to hold sections of hair. The gripping structures or elements are non-slip pad formed from rubber or other resilient non-slip material. Preferably, the gripping elements or structures are teeth features protruding form selected surface of clasping regions.
In use, a first strand of hair is placed between a first and a second body section and secured; a second strand of hair is placed between the second body section and a third body section and secured; and a third strand of hair is placed between the third and a fourth body section and secured. Preferably, the strands of hair are secured in a layered and cascaded fashion.